The Malfoy Influence
by LilyFlowerEvans
Summary: Just another DHr fanfiction. Or is it? The trails and tribulations of seventh year amdist the war. HBP spoilers. Starts our HHr.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Yes, this is another Draco/Hermione tale. Deal with the OTP-ness of it all.

MASSIVE thanks to my most awesome beta-reader Falcon Falmorgan. You can find her under that pen name on the Perfect Imagination beta reader site. She rocks the Harry Potter world with her superior English skills and knowledge of the book. And I probably would never have finished even a chapter without her help! Thank you, dear.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, all character, places, and storylines within are not mine. Also, Harry Potter, all characters, places, and storylines ARE COOLER THAN YOU.

How Draco Malfoy had managed not to get expelled from school was a wonder to Hermione Granger, as she found herself face to face with him on the Hogwarts Express. It just went to prove that even with Lucius in Azkaban, the Malfoy name held some sort of power, somewhere. Exactly who still worked under their influence, she did not know, but what she did know was that it wasn't a good sign in the slightest. If a ruthless Death Eater still had people wrapped around his finger from within the walls of wizarding prison, who knew what else could be going on? She would have to talk to Harry about it later.

Her own attendance had come as quite a shock, as well. She, Harry, and Ron had planned to be long gone on the quest for the remaining Horocruxes by this time. They had moved into Grimmauld Place only a week after school had ended. It would have been sooner if Harry hadn't insisted that he must go back to the Dursley's one more time. He had told them later that Dumbledore had requested he do so, as it was his last chance to gain some of the protective magic living with his family brought. At first, everything went well. They trained together without interruption, excepting a few days for Bill and Fleur's wedding. The moment Harry turned seventeen, the three of them were inducted into the Order with a simple ceremony. Later that day he had taken his Apparition test. The next week they attended their first meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. None of them had known just how much had been going on. From the simplest hexed muggle items to the most brutal killings, they were filled in on all of the Dark side's happenings. Then, instead of all of the Order's research and espionage paying off, everything seemed to dry up. The Death Eater activity dramatically fell, and even the investigation into the Horocruxes came to a dead end. It was as if the information was water from a faucet that had been shut off with a quick turn of the wrist. Hermione guessed that the wrist belonged to Voldemort, but with their inability to move forward, they were reduced to doing housework as they had been before their fifth year.

Looking grave, McGonagall had informed them that they would be attending school in the Fall once again. The disappointment of the news was immeasurable, but the three of them had mixed reactions. Harry, predictably, had been livid when he found out that he would be confined to the castle, once again left to wait for Voldemort to make the first move, but McGonagall had insisted that if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was going to act as if everything was normal, then so were they. Hermione had been irritated at the sudden delay, but the idea that she might do a bit more research was a comfort. Gaining access to the Restricted Section would be less of a chore this year, considering her position in the Order and the fact that she had been selected as Head Girl. Ron had acted as angrily as Harry, turning his usual shade of red, but later confided in her that he liked the idea of another year in school before being shoved out to face reality.

Hermione gave Draco a nasty, tight-lipped smile. "In case you haven't noticed, this is the Heads' compartment, and there is going to be a meeting starting in only a few minutes."

The Slytherin just looked at her sceptically for a moment before side-stepping her and moving into the compartment.

"I didn't expect you would be back, Mudblood. Aren't you supposed to be off saving the world?" he asked, spitting his words at her as if she were lower than the dirt on his shoes.

"Aren't you supposed to be destroying it?" she shot back, crossing her arms over her chest with defiance and glaring icily.

Instead of answering, Draco took his time sitting down. He spread his arms over the back of the seat and leaned back, managing to look both casual and arrogant at once. "You might think that, but Father thought it better that I graduated first."

Hermione snorted at him. "Still Daddy's little boy? Well, no matter what your disgusting father thought, you don't deserve to come back. You don't deserve to even stand outside the gates and look at the school. I know that you intended to kill Dumbledore. I know that you didn't succeed. You had to have your favourite professor finish the job for you. I can't believe you have the gall to show your face here, much less anywhere else, after what happened."

Something flickered in his grey eyes, but almost before she noticed it, it had passed. "Yes, well, Snape did finish it, as you said, so I technically did nothing wrong. I was just a boy. I didn't know what I was doing." He smirked up at her. "At least that's what I told the governors," he added, a menacing tone to his voice that sickened her.

"You disgusting…" She paused to pick up the pieces of her shattered composure. "I don't care how you _snaked _your way back into Hogwarts. Just get out before I take so many points from Slytherin that a hundred Quidditch matches won't make up for it."

Unbeknownst to Hermione, the Prefects had arrived and were now watching the exchange with expressions of interest. Draco was so infuriating that he commanded her complete attention.

"Don't you think we had better start?" He disregarded her threat and beckoned the waiting Prefects into the compartment. Hermione turned around, blush rising in her cheeks, and tried to cover her embarrassment with a smile.

"I'm sorry. I'm having a problem with some _pests_. Come in." They moved forward and into the compartment while she looked over her shoulder and saw Draco pinning something onto the front of his uniform. A cold feeling of dread washed over her as she realized what he must be doing. When he knew that she was looking, he moved his hands to show her the Head Boy badge. She stood stock still in a state of shock as Draco stood up and took his place by her side.

"Go ahead, Mudblood. Let's get this over with," came a whisper in her ear. Her lips thinned and she looked ready to hex him into next week, but after a moment her face relaxed and she turned back to the waiting Prefects.

"Welcome to the Heads' compartment, and congratulations on becoming Prefects," she said, launching into the short speech she had prepared. "You will now have privileges that the other students do not, such as use of the Prefects' bathroom and a more relaxed curfew, but you will also have more responsibility. You will have to constantly monitor those around you to be sure they are behaving, and you will sometimes have specific duties, such as patrolling the corridors or helping a teacher, as well. The most important thing you can do is set a good example. You must never be caught breaking the rules. In addition, you must have good marks in all of your subjects to retain your positions. Too many violations may result in removal."

She paused, giving them a chance to ask questions, and also leaving a moment where Draco might say something. When she glanced at him, he was staring at a point just above the Prefects' heads and made no signs of speaking.

"Tonight you are to show the First Years the way to your common rooms. Do your best to tell them about any trick doors or staircases along the way. You must also choose a password for your common room. This time we will allow the ladies to choose the password, next time the gentlemen. Any questions?" Hermione looked from face to face until she was satisfied that none of them needed clarification. "Now, I want you to take shifts patrolling the train corridors. Ravenclaws and Slytherins first, and then the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. You'll switch in about an hour." Again she paused to let the students and/or Draco get a word in, but neither party made motions of speaking. "If that is all, you are dismissed." The younger students filed out the room and started down the train to find their companions or start their duties.

When they were a safe distance away, Hermione turned on Draco. "I know you think it's mighty impressive that you got Head Boy despite being a Death Eater and despite what you did last year, but I'm going to let you in on a little secret. No one is impressed by your ridiculous wealth and power. Everyone knows how weak you are when it comes to what truly matters. Furthermore, the second I catch wind of you doing anything that even annoys me I will have you expelled, no matter what it takes." Without giving him a chance to answer, Hermione snatched up the bag she had placed on the seat and stalked away from the compartment and down the corridor.

The Head Girl stormed into the compartment her two friends occupied, without a glance or word to either of them. Instead, she glared at the window nearly hard enough to break the glass with both her arms and legs crossed, muttering annoyances under her breath. After a minute, she felt the prickle of their eyes on her and turned on them. "What?" she asked, irritably.

Harry looked at her sceptically, his face framed by his typically untidy mop of hair. "Oh nothing, except that you just stormed in here and started talking to yourself after just a short meeting with the Prefects. Other than that, everything is normal." Ron smiled beside him, and she had to laugh a little. "Don't tell me we need to reserve you a room next to Lockhart's, already."

"You're right. I'm sorry. It's just that I found out the worst news before the meeting." She paused, biting her lip as she looked at the two of them. "Malfoy is back."

Immediately Ron stood up with his hands balling into fists. "I'll kill him, I will," he said, setting his jaw. Just as quickly, Harry grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back into his seat.

"He's a bastard, but he has connections, and I don't want you risking yourself because of him. Remember, we have much more important things to worry about."

"I was thinking though," Hermione started. "If the Malfoys still have power enough to keep their son in Hogwarts after attempted murder, then what else could they be controlling? I mean, what if the rumour about the Dementors turning against us really is true? Maybe Malfoy is important enough to worry about. There must be a reason the Death Eaters want him here."

Harry nodded along, poring over the details in his mind as he always did when it came to this subject. Ron gritted his teeth. "Hear that? Hermione says he's important. Let me at him. Just one hex." The redhead was only joking, trying to lighten the mood, but there was no denying the look in his eyes that said he would be all too willing to point his wand at Draco.

Harry made no move to acknowledge Ron's jest, still wrapped up in his own thoughts. "We'll have to bring it up at the next meet-" he started before he was cut off by the arrival of the snack cart.

"Would you like anything, dears?" The friendly witch had poked her head in the compartment and was now smiling cheerfully at them.

Harry looked at his friends and realized that he was quite hungry. "I'll buy." He fished in his pocket for some Sickles and the three of them all picked out something to eat. When they were seated again, Hermione's eyes drifted towards the window again, as thoughts about a world where someone could try to kill the Headmaster, yet end up Head Boy, when she remembered that she hadn't even told Harry and Ron about Draco's position. She bit her lip and glanced at her two friends. Harry grinned at her and she returned a smile, but not genuinely. Dread mounted as she prepared to tell them the news, but Ron beat her to it.

"So who is Head Boy? I'd have thought for sure that Harry would get it, especially with McGonagall as Headmistress." The raven-haired young man tried to look detached, but it was obvious that he had thought he would be chosen as well, but Ron took no notice of his discomfort.

"Well, actually, the Board of Governors has quite a bit of influence on who is chosen. The Head of the school just presents whom they think is right and why." She was merely delaying the inevitable, not wanting to see how they reacted.

"So…" Harry prodded.

Hermione knew very well what they were talking about, but couldn't bring herself to tell them. "What?"

"Who is it?" Ron asked, seemingly annoyed with her. "Really, Hermione, you must need more rest or something."

"Oh…well…" She looked pleadingly at them. "It's horrible. Absolutely…It's Malfoy."

"What?" they both roared, standing up.

"How could this happen? How? What the bloody hell is wrong with them?" Ron was seething now, his face red with rage. Harry was a bit quieter in his anger, only balling his fists and locking his jaw.

"I'll tell you how. He paid them off, or they were 'friends' of his father who are still too afraid of his ties with Voldemort to stand up for what is right," he grated, his emerald eyes flashing.

"There's no use getting angry. We cannot change the way things are. Please sit down. Let's do something other than think about the War for a while." Though Hermione spoke calmly, she was enraged, as well. It was just unbelievable, but the boys might do something rash if they brooded over it too long. After a minute, Harry suggested Exploding Snap, and so they played, albeit without the usual chatter and laughter that accompanied the game, until it was time to put on their robes.

After the Head Girl had finished helping to gather the First Years into the castle, Draco no where to be found, she slipped into the Great Hall, taking a place that had been saved between Harry and Ron. Just as she sat down, the doors opened and the First Years were led in. Their faces were uncertain as they looked up at all of the older students who in turn stared back down at them. Hermione could remember when she had been in their position. She had been afraid, though confident that all of her studying would pay off and put her into the House she deserved. Her hair had been bushier then, and she had been shorter, but most of all, she hadn't known of the danger that the Magical world held. Then she had thought that all she needed to do was read the books, and everything would go her way. Now she knew that courage, quick thinking, and sheer determination were also necessary for her survival.

Professor Sprout, who was the Deputy Headmistress after McGonagall took her new position, placed the Sorting Hat on its stool in the centre of the room.

As things went every year, a rip near the brim opened up and the Hat began its song.

"Here we are once again

All of us, foe and friend

So sit down, take a seat

And lend an ear to me

There's Gryffindor

Brave as a lion

With the strongest will

Of them all

Then Ravenclaw

With wit sharp like an eagle's

And enough drive

To reach for perfection

Slytherin's the tricky sort

Slippery like the snake

With cunning enough

To fool the best and brightest

Lastly, but not least

There's Hufflepuff who's

As loyal as a badger

Is to its young

With all these qualities

This school can be great

Even when we are suffering

This war's weight

But unless we can unite

We might as well

Forget the fight

And raise a flag of surrender

So, if you will

Don't be divided

Don't let your houses

Be how your fate's decided."

Hermione listened to the Hat with interest, as did Ron and Harry. After last year's song, they figured that it would once again offer advice. It had, but it had only been the same advice as before. She supposed that it wasn't satisfied with what they had done last year. They hadn't done anything last year. The school was still divided over lines drawn by their Houses, and she didn't see another song by the Sorting Hat changing that anytime soon. How could it? The Gryffindors and the Slytherins were the main rivalry, and they disagreed on more than just petty Quidditch matches. After sharing a significant look with Harry, she attempted to pay attention to the first years that were now being sorted.


	2. Ghostly Ignorance

One thing that had remained the same despite Voldemort, despite the years that had passed them by, and despite the death by fire was History of Magic. It remained as lacklustre and sleep inducing of a class as it had always been. Never failing was the familiar droning of Professor Binns as he ploughed through every perceivable obstacle as he told less than exciting tales of Goblin War after Goblin War after Goblin War with the usual chorus of snores that provided the harmony to his lessons. Hermione, of course was sitting up straight, quill in hand, and listening carefully. She had pulled her amber hair back into a low ponytail to keep it out of the way of her note taking. In the desks on either side of her were her male companions, both attempting to keep their heads up despite the warmness in the room and the buzzing in their ears that was their ghost of a teacher.

It was a Friday afternoon, the last class of a very difficult week. N.E.W.T.s were this year and their workload reflected it. Hermione had already fallen back into her usual study oriented routines, while Harry and Ron both found it more difficult to hit the books. The three of them hadn't had much of a summer, in the usual sense. Each day they had run drills in the mornings and gone over information in the afternoon. They hadn't even ventured to Hogsmeade after they found out that they would be attending school. Instead, someone less conspicuous from the Order picked up all of their supplies for them. The summer holidays hadn't been very relaxing, so needless to say, Ron and Harry were reluctant to buckle down.

By the end of the class, the snores were so loud that she could hardly hear Binns. Luckily, just as the last student, other than Hermione, fell asleep, he dismissed the class and lazily floated through the wall into his office. After shaking her friends into consciousness, the Trio gather their things and moved into the hallway.

"Seriously, does he notice anything? I think that even if no one showed up for class, he would stand up there and give the lesson." Ron rubbed the sleep from his eyes as the made their way to the Gryffindor common room.

Beside him, Harry stretched like a cat. "I swear I saw a Hufflepuff chuck a book through him once and he didn't even blink." Hermione giggle beside them, juggling her notes and her book as she attempted to put them in her bag. Harry reached over, brushing her arm, and took the book from her. "Let me help," he told her with a gentle smile. Though the two of them were friends, it was unlike him to be so thoughtful towards her. Most of the time he treated her as just another guy. She looked up at him, a bit surprised at the gesture.

"Yes, thank you," she replied, her voice nearly in a whisper. On the other side of her, Ron cleared his throat pointedly and they snapped out of their moment. Straightening herself up and hoping she wasn't blushing, she looked away from Harry and they continued down the hallway. "I don't know if it's all the homework we've gotten this week or if Binns has gotten worse, but I felt a bit drowsy myself." It was an attempt to resume normal conversation that Ron gladly carried on with.

"If they ever run short of that dreamless sleep potion in the infirmary, I'm sure Binns would save the day with a lesson about the Centaur treaty of 1876 or something."

"Actually the Centuar's never…" Hermione started, but seeing the look on Ron's face she stopped. "Well, you could do with some refreshing on History of Magic, if you will recall your O.W.L.s grade." She sniffed haughtily at him and both of her friends looked a little startled at her sudden change of mood. Then she let out a laugh and they both sighed in relief.

"Really, 'Moine, you're getting to be a pretty fine actress," Harry said, nudging her lightly with his elbow.

She took a small bow just as they were reaching the Fat Lady's portrait. "Thank you. Wiffleball." Promptly the entrance swung open and the three of them stepped inside. Hermione went up to the girl's dormitory, while Harry and Ron took the opposite stairs up to the boys.

Once she had stepped inside, she cast her robes onto her bed and picked out more comfortable clothes from her wardrobe. When she had finished dressing in her jeans and faded out T-shirt, she picked put her potions book into her bag and took it downstairs into the common room. Harry and Ron were waiting for her on one of the couches, talking about this year's Quidditch team. Harry had decided to take the position as captain, once again. He had figured that if they would be stuck at school, he would at least have some fun with it. Ron had agreed and was set to be keeper once again. When they saw her, they stood up and strode over to her.

"Why do you have your bag," Ron asked, sounding suspicious. She raised an eyebrow at him in return.

"You see, I've put my books in it for easy transport." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Books are used for studying in school. Studying is so you can make decent marks, you follow?" Ron made a face at her and Harry smiled at her from over his shoulder.

"I know all that, but you aren't going to study now, are you?"

"Well, yes. We've got loads of work to do. I would ask if you were going to study too if I didn't already know that you'll put all of your work off until Sunday."

"But I thought we would go to the lake and take a break from working for once." This time Harry had chimed in, sounding more than a little disappointed.

"There just too much I have to do. I've got that potions essay, charms, ancient runes and now History of Magic. All that on top of at that we have the transfiguration assignment." The new transfiguration had turned out to be just as strict as the last, making it obvious that McGonagall had chosen her. "I wanted to try out the Head's library anyways."

Ron shrugged his shoulders, knowing that there was no convincing Hermione when she got like this. "Come on, Harry. Let's go run some practice drills at the pitch."

"I'll see you at dinner," she told them before turning and heading out of the portrait.

After a trip up a flight of stairs, two left turns, and a right, she found herself standing in front of a large painting of a forest. Hiding amongst the foliage was a snake, a badger, a lion, and an eagle. Ignoring the fact that those four animals wouldn't be found in the same habits, she took out her wand and tapped the painting. "Flowerpot." Instead of swinging open, as she expected it to, it transformed into an opening just wide enough for her and her book bag to squeeze through. When she was inside, the wall reformed behind her, leaving no indication that there was an exit there at all.

Before her was a room like none she had ever seen. The walls were lined with bookshelves that reached all the way to the tall ceiling. The school library scarcely had more books than this room held. It was a wonder to Hermione that they would reserve so much only for the Head Girl and Boy. Stepping further into the room, she noticed four large cherry wood desks that had been pushed together. From the look of the elaborate carvings on them, she guessed that they had been there since the school had been founded. She set her bag on a nearby chair and trailed her fingers lightly over the one of the desks, feeling the smooth wood against her skin.

Hermione wandered over to the ladder that had been provided to reach the top shelf and climbed it. At the top looked over the titles of books that were decades older than she was, feeling quite overwhelmed that the room was so beautifully put together. All of it seemed like too much of an honour for a Head Girl.  
But just then the Head Boy decided to break her revere and remind her exactly why this room was too good to be true. "Looks like the Mudblood is in heaven." He looked up at her snidely as he tossed his own bag aside. Half-hazardly stuffing his hands in the pockets of his khaki slacks; he made his way over to one of the shelves and lazily pulled out a book. Opening it to a random page, he skimmed over the words. Hermione was hurried down the ladder, ending up standing next to him at the bottom.

"And I suppose you're used to such lavish living." He slammed the book shut and set it dangerously close to the ledge of the shelf. Immediately Hermione reached around him and gently put it in its place. Draco ignored her corrective action, wiping his finger through the thick dust that he settle in front of the books over the years distastefully.

Brushing the dust onto the hem of his green shirt, he muttered "House elves haven't been doing their job." Beside him, Hermione rolled her eyes and moved back to her bookbag. She took out her potions text and set it out on one of the large desks. Then she took out a quill, an inkbottle, and her half finished essay, and sat down in a comfortable red chair she had found near the desk.

In the desk opposite from her, Draco set out his own potions book and supplies. The only different was that he settled into a green chair instead of a red one. Catching sight of him, Hermione couldn't help but asking "What are you doing?" It was obvious that he intended to study, but the last thing she wanted was to spend a few hours alone in a room with Draco Malfoy.

"Umm, I'm finishing homework." He looked at her strangely for a moment. "Did someone addle your brains over the summer or is your dirty blood just catching up to you?"

Hermione glared at him. "I'm studying here and I would appreciate it if you didn't waste my time." She knew that she was being ridiculous, but she couldn't just sit there with Malfoy, could she? No, of course she couldn't just let him get away with sitting there. It was like he was mocking her.

"If you're so concerned, you're free to leave." Draco picked up his quill and started flipping through the pages of his text. Hermione's copper eyes narrowed at him, but he didn't bother looking up. Sensing that it was a useless argument and too stubborn to follow his advice, she begrudgingly picked up her essay and started to read over what she had so far.

A half an hour later, Hermione was studying in full force, having eventually forgotten that Draco was sitting mere feet from her. "Hamswort, hamswort," she muttered to herself, turning through the chapter she was reading. "I know I just saw it." She ran her finger down the page, but had no luck.

"Problems, Mudblood?" Draco called, not looking away from his parchment.

"Quiet," she quipped back, rereading another passage. It was unlike her to forget where she had seen something in a chapter, but during the summer she hadn't bothered to read the book as she usually did, thinking that she wouldn't be attending school again. Hermione was beginning feel as if she was falling behind and it was only the first week of school.

"Hamswort, used in magical protective potions and light love and friendship potions. Found mostly in Northern Canada and only picked on Wednesday afternoons, otherwise it is rendered useless." As he said it his quill never stopped moving across the page, though she thought she could see a smirk on his face when he finished.

Taken aback, she managed a small "oh," before she reworded the information and wrote a short paragraph about it. When she was finished, she shot him a nervous glance. Why had he told her that? Was he trying to create some sort of report with her? Was he trying to trick her? No, she knew that the information had been accurate. She remembered reading it before. Maybe he was just mocking her with the fact that he had known and she hadn't. There were endless possibilities and his grey eyes gave nothing away. "Thank you," she finally mumbled, her face to her parchment but her eyes watching him. There was the slightest of hesitations in his writing when she said it, before he grunted in response.

In another hour, still feeling a bit strange about both her own and Draco's behaviour, she stood up and put her things into her bag. Slinging it over her shoulder, she glanced at the Slytherin and found that he was looking up at her too. Quickly, they both turned away, Draco to his essay and Hermione to the door. Mentally shaking herself, she made her way out of the room and out into the hallway. If that wasn't the strangest thing that had ever happened to her, she didn't know what was.

After she had put her bag back in her dorm, she made her way down to dinner. Both Harry and Ron were waiting for her and smiled when she took a seat across from them. Looking around the Great Hall, it was obvious that some parents had chosen to keep their children away from the school after the tragedy that had closed last year's term. All of the house tables were emptier than they had been in years past, especially the Slytherin table. Most of the children that had belonged to known Death Eaters were no longer present, as their parents were afraid of being tracked down through their offspring. Avery, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle. They were all gone. It seemed that the only one left was Draco, which made his being there all the more suspicious.

When she had greeted her friends, she picked out a meal of mashed potatoes and pork chops, but she didn't start to eat yet. Instead she pushed them around her plate, her mind still back in the Head's study. Harry eyed her with concern. "Are you alright?"

Hermione realized what she was doing and put on her most cheerful face. "Oh yes. How was your practice?" Harry started to tell her about an amazing save that Ron had made, but her attention drifted from him and back to Draco. Something was definitely going on with the blonde Slytherin, but what, she did not know.

"Hermione. Hermione! Hello?" She blinked and found Ron waving his hand in front of her eyes. Slowly, her friends and the Great Hall came back into focus.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked. She lowered her fork down to her plate and put her hands in her lap, forcing herself to concentrate on what was around her.

Again Harry looked concerned. "Is something wrong," he asked, in tender tones.

"Oh no," she replied. "Malfoy was in the Head's study too, that's all." It was the truth. At least half of it, anyway. For some reason she didn't think what happened was something she wanted to share with the two of them.

Both Harry and Ron frowned. "What did he do?" Ron was showing the symptoms of becoming worked up and so Hermione knew she had to snap out of it.

She smiled at them, reaching across the table and grasp one of each of their hands. "Really, it was nothing worse than the usual Mudblood remarks." A flat out lie to her friends, and for what? Why should she keep what happened from them? Still, she didn't tell them.

"Are you sure its safe for you to be alone with him?"

"Now Harry, I do believe you've been spending too much time with Mrs. Weasley. Really, I'm a full grown witch now. I can take care of myself." Harry gave her a look. "Alright, alright, I'll be careful. Satisfied?"

Reluctantly, Harry nodded in reply. After a moment, Hermione steered the conversation towards the disappearance of a Ministry worker that had been in the Daily Prophet and soon enough the three of them were lost in speculations about what it could mean and how it might relate to them.


End file.
